Apparatus for protecting crew member of automobile when collision of side portion thereof occurs

ABSTRACT

A vehicle occupant protecting apparatus at a time of lateral collision of an automobile is structured wherein, since a bottom face ( 13 ) of an airbag ( 8 ) contacts with an upper face ( 5 ) of an armrest ( 6 ), an upward reaction force F from the upper face ( 5 ) of the armrest ( 6 ) can act on the airbag ( 8 ) which has been pressed downward during development, whereby a developing speed of the airbag ( 8 ) can be improved.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant protecting apparatusat a time of lateral collision of an automobile.

BACKGROUND ART

As an airbag apparatus for an automobile, there is an airbag apparatusfor lateral collision where an airbag is developed forward from a sideportion of a backrest at a time of lateral collision of an automobile toprotect a vehicle occupant (refer to Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open No. 9-136598 as a similar art).

In such an earlier technology, an airbag is developed forward while itis being expanded by gas injected from an inflator. Particularly in acase of an airbag apparatus for lateral collision, since a space betweena vehicle occupant and a side wall of a vehicle body is narrow, theairbag is sometimes held between the occupant and the side wall duringthe development thereof, whereby the airbag is pressed downwardly. Thisis not preferable because, when the airbag is pressed downwardly, adeveloping speed of the airbag is reduced corresponding to a magnitudeof the pressing force.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it has been desired to propose a novel airbag apparatuscapable of further increasing the developing speed of an airbag.

The present invention has been achieved to meet such a requirement, andit provides a vehicle occupant protecting apparatus at a time of lateralcollision of an automobile which can increase a developing speed of anairbag.

A first aspect of the invention is a vehicle occupant protectingapparatus at a time of lateral collision of an automobile, comprising:an armrest formed on a vehicle body side wall adjacent to a backrest andhaving a generally horizontal upper face; an airbag disposed at a sideportion of the backrest; and an inflator for injecting gas into theairbag at a time of collision to develop the airbag forward and abovethe armrest, wherein a bottom face of the airbag developed forwardcontacts with the upper face of the armrest.

According to the above structure, as the bottom face of the airbag whichhas been developed forward contacts with the upper face of the armrest,an upward reaction force can be applied from the upper face of thearmrest to the airbag which has been pressed downward duringdevelopment, thereby increasing a developing speed of the airbag.

In the configuration of the first aspect, a second aspect of theinvention is structured such that the bottom face of the airbag whichhas been developed contacts with the upper face of the armrest in anoverlapping manner.

According to the above structure, as not only the bottom face of theairbag which has been developed contacts merely with the upper face ofthe armrest but also the bottom face of the airbag contacts with theupper face of the armrest in an overlapping manner, a positive downwardforce is applied from the bottom face of the airbag on the upper face ofthe armrest. As a result, since an upward reaction force acting upon theairbag from the upper face of the armrest is further increased, thedeveloping speed of the airbag is further improved. Particularly, anupward developing speed of the airbag is increased. Also, according tosuch a structure that the bottom face of the airbag contacts with theupper face of the armrest in the overlapping manner, even when amounting error between the airbag and the armrest in a verticaldirection or a variation of a vertical position of the backrestaccording to a reclining angle thereof occurs, such an error orvariation can be absorbed.

In the configuration of the first aspect, a third aspect of theinvention is structured such that the bottom face of the airbag whichhas been developed has a bent configuration which has been expandeddownwardly.

According to the above structure, as the bottom face of the airbag whichhas been developed has the bent configuration which has been expandeddownwardly, the contacting state between the bottom face of the airbagand the upper face of the armrest can be obtained without increasing thevolume of the airbag so largely, as compared with a case that the bottomwall of the airbag is lowered while it is kept in a flat state. Sincethe volume of the airbag is not so increased, such a structure iseffective for improving the developing speed of the airbag.

In the structure of the first aspect, a fourth aspect of the inventionis structured such that the airbag has a generally L-shapedconfiguration and is partitioned into an upper head protecting portionand a lower chest protecting portion by a partitioning wall cloth with avent hole provided inside the airbag, wherein the gas from the inflatoris injected into the chest protecting portion.

According to the above configuration, as the chest protecting portion ofthe airbag is first developed forward by the gas injected by theinflator, the forward developing speed is improved.

In the structure of the fourth aspect, a fifth aspect of the inventionis structured such that a gas injecting hole for injecting gas is formedon a bottom wall side of the chest protecting portion.

According to the above configuration, as the gas injecting hole isformed at a side face lower portion of the inflator, the gas is injectedfrom the bottom face of the chest protecting portion along an insideface thereof, so that the development of the chest protecting portion isaccelerated, thereby further increasing the developing speed of thechest protecting portion.

In the structure of the fifth aspect, a sixth aspect of the invention isstructured such that the inflator is disposed along the backrest and thegas injecting hole is formed at a side face and lower end of theinflator.

According to the above configuration, as the gas injecting hole isformed at the side face lower end of the inflator, the gas is injectedfrom the bottom face of the chest protecting portion along an insideface thereof, so that the development of the chest protecting portion isaccelerated, thereby increasing further the developing speed of thechest protecting portion.

In the structure of the first aspect, a seventh aspect of the inventionis structured such that the bottom face of the airbag contacting withthe upper face of the armrest is subject to an upward reaction forcefrom the upper face of the armrest.

According to the above configuration, as the upward reaction forceacting from the upper face of the armrest on the airbag is furtherincreased, even when the air bag is held between a vehicle occupant anda door to be pressed downwardly, the airbag can resist on a force actingso as to press the airbag downwardly, so that the airbag is developedforward. Since the airbag is prevented from being pressed downward, theairbag reaches a final developed state in a shorter time than that of aconventional airbag. That is, the developing speed of the airbag isimproved.

An eighth aspect of the invention is a vehicle occupant protectingapparatus at a time of lateral collision of an automobile, comprising anarmrest disposed on a vehicle body side wall adjacent to a backrest andhaving a generally horizontal upper face; an airbag disposed in a sideportion of the backrest above the armrest and at a position facing thearmrest; and an inflator injecting gas into the airbag at a time ofcollision to develop the airbag forward and above the armrest, whereinthe airbag has a bottom face which expands towards the upper face of thearmrest during development of the airbag to contact with the upper faceof the armrest.

According to the above configuration, as it has such a structure thatthe bottom face of the airbag merely contact with the upper face of thearmrest, even when the airbag is held between a vehicle occupant and adoor to be pressed downwardly, an upward reaction force acts on theairbag which has been pressed downwardly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inside of a vehicle occupantcompartment showing a vehicle occupant protecting apparatus at a time oflateral collision of an automobile according to an embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a contacting state between an airbag andan armrest.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described belowwith reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

A reference numeral 1 denotes a right side front seat, which comprises abackrest 2 and a seat cushion 3. A door 4 which is as a ‘vehicle bodyside wall’ is positioned adjacent to the front seat 1, and an armrest 6with a generally horizontal upper face 5 is provided on an inside faceof the door 4.

An airbag module 7 is built in a right side end portion of the backrest2. The airbag module 7 is positioned above the armrest 6 and is disposedon a side portion of the backrest 2 which opposes the armrest 6. Aninflator and an airbag 8 disposed along the backrest 2 are accommodatedin the airbag module 7. The airbag 8 is developed between a vehicleoccupant and the door 4 to protect the vehicle occupant at a time oflateral collision of an automobile.

The airbag 8 has a generally L-shaped configuration, and is providedwith a partitioning wall cloth 10 partitioning an inside space into alower side chest protecting portion A and an upper side head protectingportion B. The partitioning wall cloth 10 is formed at its rear sidewith a vent hole 11.

The inflator 9 is formed at its side face lower end portion with aninjecting hole 12. Gas G injected from the injecting hole 12 firstenters into the chest protecting portion A to develop the chestprotecting portion A forward, and then the gas G in the chest protectingportion A is introduced into the head protecting portion B via the venthole 11 to develop the head protecting portion B upwardly.

A shape and a mounting position of the airbag 8 are set such that, whenthe airbag 8 is developed forward, a bottom face 13 thereof contactswith the upper face 5 of the armrest 6 by a predetermined verticallength d in an overlapping manner.

Next, a behavior of the airbag 8 during an actual development thereofwill be explained. The airbag 8 developed forward and above the armrest6 by gas G injected from the inflator 9 is expanded in a space betweenthe vehicle occupant and the door 4. In the airbag 8, firstly, the chestprotecting portion A is developed forward, and in the next, the headprotecting portion B is developed upwardly.

The airbag 8 which has been developed forward is expanded toward theupper face 5 of the armrest 6, and, as mentioned above, the bottom face13 of the airbag 8 contacts with the upper face 5 of the armrest 6 bythe predetermined vertical length d in the overlapping manner. Thus, asthe bottom face 13 of the airbag 8 contacts with the upper face 5 of thearmrest 6 in the overlapping manner, a downward force positively acts onthe upper face 5 of the armrest 6 from the bottom face 13 of the airbag8.

As a result, depending upon the downward force, an upward reaction forceF acting on the airbag 8 from the upper face 5 of the armrest 6 isfurther increased. Therefore, even when the airbag 8 is held orsandwiched between the vehicle occupant and the door 4 to be pressed,the airbag 8 can resist on the downward-pressing force, so that theairbag 8 is developed forward without being pressed down. Since theairbag 8 is not pressed and not lowered, the airbag 8 reaches to a finaldeveloped state in a shorter time than that a conventional airbag. Thatis, the developing speed of the airbag 8 is improved.

Also, as the bottom face 13 of the airbag 8 is caused to contact withthe upper face 5 of the armrest 6 in the overlapping manner, even whenthere is a mounting error between the airbag 8 and the armrest 6 in avertical direction or a variation of a vertical position of the airbag 8due to a reclined angle of the backrest 2, the error or variation can beabsorbed.

Furthermore, as the bottom face 13 of the airbag 8 is formed in a bentconfiguration bulging downward, the volume of the airbag 8 is not soincreased, which is effective for improving the developing speed of theairbag 8. Also, since the airbag 8 is partitioned into the chestprotecting portion A and the head protecting portion B by thepartitioning wall cloth 10, and the chest protecting portion A with asmall volume is developed by the gas G injected from the inflator 9, aforward-developing speed of the airbag 8 is improved. In additionthereto, as the injecting hole 12 for the gas G is formed at the sideface lower end portion of the inflator 9, the gas G is injected from thebottom face of the chest protecting portion A along inside face thereof,so that the development of the chest protecting portion A isaccelerated, whereby the developing speed can further be increased.

The embodiment has such a structure that the bottom face 13 of theairbag 8 contacts with the upper face 5 of the armrest 6 in theoverlapping manner, but the present invention can be structured suchthat the bottom face 13 just contacts with (zero-touches to) the upperface 5 without overlapping. Even in a case where such a setting iseffected so that the bottom face 13 just contacts with the upper face 5,for example, even if the airbag 8 is held between the vehicle occupantand the door 4 to be pressed downward, the upward reaction force F canact on the airbag 8 which has been pressed downward.

Also, though the airbag apparatus provided in the backrest 2 of thefront seat has been explained as an example, the present invention isapplicable to an airbag apparatus provided in a rear seat.

Industrial Applicability

As set forth above, according to the present invention, as the bottomface of the airbag which has been developed forward contacts with theupper face of the armrest, the upward reaction force from the upper faceof the armrest can act on the airbag which has been pressed downwardduring development, so that the developing speed of the airbag can beimproved. Also, the airbag is formed in the generally L-shapedconfiguration, the airbag is partitioned into the upper side headprotecting portion and the lower side chest protecting portion by thepartitioning wall cloth with the vent hole therein. Therefore the gasfrom the inflator is injected into the chest protecting portion side,the chest protecting portion is firstly developed forward by the gasinjected from the inflator, so that the forward developing speed of theairbag can be further improved.

Accordingly, the present invention is useful as a vehicle occupantprotecting apparatus at a time of lateral collision of an automobile.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicle occupant protecting apparatus at a timeof lateral collision of an automobile, comprising: an armrest formed ona vehicle body side wall adjacent to a backrest, the armrest having asubstantially horizontal upper face; an airbag having a bottom face andbeing disposed at a side portion of the backrest; and an inflator thatinjects a gas into the airbag during the lateral collision to developthe airbag forward and above the armrest, wherein, during the lateralcollision, the airbag is deployed such that if the armrest were notpresent, a portion of the bottom face of the airbag would be locatedbelow, by a predetermined distance, where the upper face of the armrestwould normally be positioned, and wherein, because the armrest ispresent, an upward reaction force is created by the bottom face of theairbag acting on the upper face of the armrest during the lateralcollision thereby decreasing the time for the airbag to completelydevelop.
 2. A vehicle occupant protecting apparatus according to claim1, wherein the bottom face of the airbag which has been developed has abent configuration expanded downwardly.
 3. A vehicle occupant protectingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the airbag has a generallyL-shaped configuration and is partitioned into an upper head protectingportion and a lower chest protecting portion by a partitioning wallcloth with a vent hole provided inside the airbag; and wherein the gasfrom the inflator is injected into the chest protecting portion.
 4. Avehicle occupant protecting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein agas injecting hole for injecting gas is formed on a bottom wall side ofthe chest protecting portion.
 5. A vehicle occupant protecting apparatusaccording to claim 4, wherein the inflator is disposed along thebackrest; and wherein the gas injecting hole is formed at a side faceand lower end of the inflator.
 6. A vehicle occupant protectingapparatus at a time of a lateral collision of an automobile, comprising:an armrest disposed on a vehicle body side wall adjacent to a backrest,the armrest having a substantially horizontal upper face; an airbagdisposed in a side portion of the backrest above the armrest and at aposition facing the armrest; and an inflator that injects a gas into theairbag during the lateral collision to develop the airbag forward andabove the armrest, wherein the airbag has a bottom face which expandstowards the upper face of the armrest during development of the airbagto contact the upper face of the armrest, wherein, during the lateralcollision, the airbag is deployed such that, if the armrest were notpresent, a portion of the bottom face of the airbag would be locatedbelow, by a predetermined distance, where the upper face of the armrestwould normally be positioned, and wherein, because the armrest ispresent, an upward reaction force is created by the bottom face of theairbag acting on the upper face of the armrest during the lateralcollision, thereby decreasing the time for the airbag to completelydevelop.
 7. An airbag apparatus for protecting a vehicle occupant duringa side impact collision, the airbag being adapted to be housed in abackrest of a vehicle above an adjacent armrest, which is disposed on avehicle body side wall and has a substantially horizontal upper face,the airbag apparatus comprising: an upper side head protecting portion;a lower side chest protecting portion connecting to a lower end of theupper side head protecting portion, the lower side chest protectingportion having a bottom face; a partitioning wall disposed between theupper side head protecting portion and a lower side protecting portion,the partitioning wall including a vent that allows a gas to flow betweenthe upper and lower portions; an inflator disposed in the lower sideprotecting portion that injects the gas into the lower side protectingportion during a lateral collision, wherein the bottom face of the lowerside chest protecting portion expands towards the upper face of thearmrest during the side impact collision and contacts the upper face ofthe armrest, wherein, during the lateral collision, the airbag isdeployed such that, if the armrest were not present, a portion of thebottom face of the airbag would be located below, by a predetermineddistance, where the upper face of the armrest would normally bepositioned, and wherein, because the armrest is present, an upwardreaction force is created by the bottom face of the airbag acting on theupper face of the armrest during the lateral collision, therebydecreasing the time for the airbag to completely develop.
 8. A vehicleoccupant protecting apparatus at a time of lateral collision of anautomobile, comprising: an armrest formed on a vehicle body side walladjacent to a backrest, the armrest having a substantially horizontalupper face; an airbag having a bottom face and being disposed at a sideportion of the backrest; and an inflator that injects a gas into theairbag during the lateral collision to develop the airbag forward andabove the armrest, wherein, during the lateral collision, the airbag isdeployed such that the airbag overlaps the armrest by a predeterminedlength, such that the airbag is prevented from expanding downward belowthe armrest by that predetermined distance by the action of the bottomface of the airbag acting on the upper face of the armrest, and wherein,due to the airbag overlapping the armrest by the predetermined length,an upward reaction force is created by the bottom face of the airbagacting on the upper face of the armrest during the lateral collision.